336 MEMORIES OF MEN AND HORSES 



and, as I anticipated, one of the Messrs Weatherby 

 courteously invited me into the Stewards' room. Lord 

 Derby was senior steward, and the others were, I think, 

 Captain Greer and Lord Durham. 



There was, of course, no doubt about my having 

 written the stuff, and I was roundly admonished by 

 Lord Derby and quite rightly. I told the stewards, 

 and afterwards told Lord Derby in a letter, that his 

 observations were less condemnatory than were my 

 own feelings when I first read the paper that morning. 

 They must understand that in the haste of wiring away 

 messages which you had no opportunity to revise there 

 might be regrettable incidents. Lord Derby said they 

 understood that, and the question was closed without 

 further trouble ; except that for about two hours I felt 

 that I had done such an unconscionably foolish thing 

 that I had better give up writing altogether. 



No one connected with The Sportsman has ever 

 known of this, nor has anyone, so far as I am con- 

 cerned. I have never told it even at home. As we 

 read in Latin grammars, Nemo Mortalium omnibus horis 

 sapit. 



I put it in now for the edification of young journalists 

 who are wishing to do good work. Let them never 

 be rash in rushing what seems good copy into print. 

 I explained what I did, but I could not excuse myself, 

 for with my experience I ought not to have done it, and 

 that is just what I said or wrote to Lord Derby, who 

 made things all right with the King. It was a storm in 

 a teacup, but it is perhaps better that I, in my lifetime, 

 should tell the facts. 



There is an old story of someone who boasted that 

 King George IV. had spoken to him, and when pressed 



